European United Left/Nordic Green Left European Parliamentary Group

After the adoption of a resolution in the European Parliament condemning the violence of the al-Sisi regime, GUE/NGL MEPs call on the EU to also reconsider its relations with Egypt.

Following the dramatic increase in torture and disappearances in Egypt, the European Parliament adopted a resolution yesterday condemning the violence of the al-Sisi regime, calling for protection of human rights, and more judicial and police cooperation with European Union.

During the debate on this matter in the European Parliament yesterday, Italian MEP, Curzio Maltese, declared: "It's been five weeks since the death of Giulio Regeni and every week the Egyptian authorities have changed their version of this tragic story. This case now appears to be a political murder of a brave young European journalist and researcher that was committed on the orders of al-Sisi's regime."

This case also undermines the bilateral agreements which are in place between Italy and Egypt to counter terrorism.

"These agreements were a common commitment to counter terrorism. However, this appears tragically paradoxical when the al-Sisi regime makes daily terrorism its main instrument of government, as evidenced by the 1,400 political assassinations in just six months which were reported by Amnesty International.

"Meanwhile, the Italian government has not found the dignity and strength to denounce this macabre joke and to act accordingly."

Maltese condemned the violence and evaluated the European Parliament's decision, saying: "The resolution is a good thing, but it is not enough. We must stop considering oppressive and murderous regimes to be our allies. We must stop providing them with resources that are used to oppress their people. If we continue to do this, then we would be denying our own values and acting in favour of terrorism rather than against it," Maltese concluded.

Italian MEP, Barbara Spinelli, added: "As co-rapporteur on behalf of GUE/NGL, I have co-signed and supported the joint motion for a resolution, despite all its weaknesses and the lack of a clear condemnation of the strategic alliance between the European Union and Egypt - mostly with regard to Libya - and the evident repression carried out against student, Ibrahim Halawa, and the sympathisers of the political party of previous president Mohamed Morsi.

"In particular, I supported it having regard especially to paragraph two of the joint motion for a resolution, in which the Parliament calls for a swift, transparent and impartial investigation into the torture and assassination of Giulio Regeni," Spinelli remarked.